Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

With a burst of fireworks and a thumping drum beat, the Renascer samba school kicked off the first night of sumptuous Carnival parades in Rio's hallowed Sambadrome on February 19.

The Rio Carnival, billed as "the greatest show on Earth," generates 250,000 jobs and revenues of $640 million for hotels, bars and restaurants, according to state estimates. Big-name companies invite luminaries, including foreign celebrities, to their Sambadrome skyboxes overlooking the processions to promote their brands.

Carnival is celebrated with equal gusto in other cities and towns, including Sao Paulo, Brazil's economic capital and Latin America's most populous city, and the northeastern city of Salvador, the heart of the rich Afro-Brazilian culture.

Every year samba schools chooses a different theme for the parades, such as famous figures of Brazilian history, or paying tribute to the country's diverse racial and ethnic heritage. The parading schools are divided into sections, and each section has a wing of about 100 people each wearing the same costume.

Rio officials said they expect more than five million people, including 850,000 tourists, to enjoy the five-day festival which was opened by legendary Carnival King Momo on Friday.